Required Reading:
CCRU Writings 1997-2003
Rcommended Reading:
Fanged Noumena - Nick Land
Capitalism's Transcendental Time Machine - Anna Greenspan
Capitalist Realism - Mark Fisher
A User's Guide to Capitalism & Schizophrenia - Brian Massumi
Lecture 1: Prequisites
1.1: Introduction - An introduction to the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit (CCRU) and the aims of the course. This section is a reiteration of the fact that this course is specifically on the continental philosophy of the CCRU as opposed to other various eclectic elements of their corpus.
1.2: The Transcendental Inside - An introduction to the basics of Immanuel Kant's 'transcendental aesthetic' and the knowledge needed to understand the CCRU's utilization of Kantian critique within their work.
1.3: Symbolism and the Transcendental Outside - An exposition on the transcendentally-communicative ability of symbols and their importance in relation to the philosophy of the CCRU.
1.4: Lemurian Time War and Hyperstition - An introduction to the CCRU's most important text Lemurian Time War alongside a thorough explanation of the cultural theorization of 'hyperstition'.
1.5: The Human Security System - An introduction to the concept of the 'human-security-system' as theorized by both the CCRU and Nick Land specifically, inclusive of its inherent Kantian foundation.
Lecture 2: Fundamentals
2.1: The Transcendental Control Mechanisms of the Inside and the Architectonic Order of the Eschaton - A continuation of lecture 1 by way of expanding on the CCRU's reading of Kant and the human-security-system in relation to control and their meta-philosophical creation of the Architectonic Order of the Eschaton.
2.2: Meta-Reality and the Cave - An overview of CCRU theorization of meta-fictional realities and a post-critical CCRU theorization of Plato's allegory of the cave.
2.3: Transcendental Exit - Utilizing everything from previous lectures critical possibilities of temporal and transcendental exit are explained using CCRU methodology.
Lecture 3: Deleuze, Time and Production
3.1: Deleuzian Temporality and the Future - An introduction to Gilles Deleuze's 3 syntheses of time as theorized in Difference and Repetition, alongside an understanding of Deleuzian philosophy of time/temporality in relation to the human-security-system and the cosmic Inside/Outside dynamic.
3.2: The Body-without-Organs and the Production-in-Itself of the Outside - An introduction to Gilles Deleuze & Felix Guattari's concept of the body-without-organs as put forth in Capitalism & Schizophrenia, alongside an understanding of the body-without-organs and production in relation to CCRU philosophy.
Lecture 4: Capitalism and Schizophrenia
4.1: Capitalism and the Outside - An exploration between the Deleuzian conceptualization of the actual and virtual, Deleuzoguattarian philosophy of production and CCRU's conceptualisations of capitalism in relation to the Kantian notion of the Outside.
4.2: Schizophrenic Process and the Limits of Production - An introduction to Deleuze and Guattari's concept of 'schizophrenia' as put forth in Capitalism & Schizophrenia, and how it allowed the CCRU to build certain critical methodologies of future-creation.
Lecture 5: Qabbala and the Numogram
5.1: Kabbalah and the Tree of Life - An introduction to the traditional Kabbalism and the kabbalist Tree of Life and its (non)importance for the CCRU.
5.2: The Numerological System of the Numogram - An introduction to the Numogram's numerological system, how to construct the Numogram, what the Numogram is, the difference between Numogrammic and traditional Kabbalah and its connection to the overarching CCRU Kantian/Deleuzian philosophy.
James Ellis, M.A.
James Ellis studied fine art at Norwich University of the Arts, after finishing his degree he completed an M.A. in continental philosophy at Staffordshire University. He blogs at Meta-Nomad and is the host of Hermitix Podcast.